Fatal car crash at SXSW leads to first string of lawsuits

The unfortunate deaths last year at South By Southwest have resulted in the first wave of lawsuits to hit the Austin, Texas based music and arts festival. The lawsuits accuse organizers of safety breaches during last year’s festival, after four people were ran over after a driver smashed through a barricade. Among several wrongful deaths lawsuits was one from the family of Steven Craenmehr, a Dutch music executive, who was knocked off his bike and killed.

“A festival organizer or traffic design consultant of ordinary intelligence would have anticipated the danger,” the lawsuit states. Just a few months ago, a SXSW safety report found that the consumption of alcohol and overcrowded venues left the festival facing a “critical point where public safety could be compromised.” The exact number of lawsuits and the damages being sought are both unidentified, but we’ll keep updating the situation as more news arrives.